title: [Characterization and economic impact of medical patients presenting at the emergency department of an university hospital].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The number of patients in German emergency departments has been rising for years. This means additional need of staff and infrastructure for hospitals.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this monocentric retrospective analysis the patient population of the central emergency department (ZNA) at the university hospital Frankfurt was investigated. Major symptoms, diagnoses with respect to diagnose-related groups and modes of admission to the emergency department have been analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During 3 months, a total of 7376 patients presented to the ZNA. Analysis focused on 2186 patients referred to the department of internal medicine: most patients presented spontaneously (50.6%), 38.2% were admitted by ambulance services, only 9.7% were admitted by a primary physician. 44.9% of these patients were hospitalized, mainly with cardiological, pneumological and gastroenterological disorders. The predominant major symptoms were acute chest pain (15.4%), abdominal pain (7.1%) and syncope or collapse (6.1%). Patients hospitalized via ZNA contributed 31.9% of the total revenues of internal medicine departments. 31.7% of all hospitalized patients were admitted to the hospital by the ZNA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Emergency departments become more and more a regular part of ambulatory patients health care and contribute efficiently to the economic revenue of hospitals.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik III, Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt am Main.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Honold
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Thieme
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zeuzem
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Serve
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fichtlscherer
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Zeiher
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Walcher
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Marzi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lehmann
mesh_terms: D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014600:Utilization Review